An ad on Facebook features a young woman staring into the camera fretfully. She says, "If you're a woman who struggles to find a t-shirt that fits well and feels great, your search is over." Immediately I was alarmed at the thought of anyone struggling to find a t-shirt. I wondered, had I been using the word correctly? Did I not know what "struggle" really means? So I looked it up and found this:
"Make forceful or violent efforts to get free of restraint or conviction; engage in conflict; strive to achieve or attain something in the face of difficulty." How that could apply to shopping for an ordinary t-shirt escaped me. Are we talking shopping in a war-torn country?
Yes, I am guilty of misusing and abusing the English language just like everyone else. After all, language is fluid. "Chill" can mean cold or it can mean relax. When people say they are "bone tired," their bones are not really tired. I say I love cottage cheese, but surely not as much as I love my husband and son. (Although I do really love cottage cheese.)
But back to struggling. The firemen in California are struggling to put out the fires. The Democrats struggle to discredit Donald Trump every second of their lives. The hostages in Gaza are struggling to stay alive. Those struggles are real. Clearly, finding a comfy t-shirt does not measure up. Which is why I hate advertising. (Look it up.)
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